Hi everyone! I’m a 1st-time poster new to the Board. I’m 44 y/o and Dx’d last year w/ Type 1. Am on MDI (Humulog I:C ~15 and Lantus split 6/4 am pm.)
Among my most unpleasant experiences so far is I feel “spacey” after meals and I was wondering if anyone has similar experiences?
I describe it as being “high on insulin” where I can’t concentrate, I’m sensitive to loud noises, and normal room lighting seems bright at my peripheral vision.
I suspect I’m “feeling” the kinetic action of the insulin peaking (as it ramps up) or maybe I’m feeling my blood sugar on the steep rise …
My muscle coordination is also affected and occasionally I might notice some constrained breathing, although I haven’t decided if that’s my imagination yet.
I believe I’m still producing some of my own insulin, and I suspect maybe my pancreas is struggling during these times. Has anyone had any experience where they “feel” their pancreas trying to produce? Is that something one could feel happening?
Thanks for your feedback.
Tom
Hi Tom,
I don’t feel anything as strongly as you describe but I do feel things “moving around like” about the time I should be peaking after a meal bolus. Sorta like I know my sugars are rising and then coming down with the action from the insulin. With wild BS swings I’ll feel my lips tingle like you are coming off of the Novocain from the dentist. That feels weird. 
I’m also T1 and I don’t feel these things as strongly now that I’m on a pump.
I know that feeling, in fact, it came upon me really fast out of nowhere and I was scared something else is wrong with me. It wasn’t. It was just a new sensibility to BG swings. It’s much better with pump now. You could also make longer period of time between bolusing and eating. 30 minus works for me to avoid massive spikes from carby foods.
a few years ago, maybe 10 or 12 years into my diabetic career, I was getting more paranoid about complications while I refused to switch from R/N because I’d always used them and was “FINE” (you know, like when someone asks you if you are low and you are “FINE”! hee hee). I started testing more and treated highs w/ IV R shots b/c I was in a hurry, minimize damage, like Keith Richards, whatever. This would drop my BG from like 300 to about 50 in 20-30 minutes and it was very perceptable insulin ‘buzz’ which, of course, is not exactly a pleasant sensation?
When I’m low, I definitely get wierd aural sensations. I sort of look at it like having my reverb turned up too much, as things get not exactly echoey but sort of ‘crashy’ sounding? Another thing that I noticed w/ the IV shots was that the more pronounced symptoms like sweating and the crashy sounds would start while my meter BG was still showing 150, like 10 minutes into it. It made me think that maybe the symptoms were associated more with the ‘delta’ or change in BG level than the BG level itself, if that makes sense?
I would think too that if your pancreas is still producing insulin, it might get ‘fired up’ more as a natural response to food so you’d be having some bonus insulin on top of your dose? The symptoms you are describing sound very much like a hypo to me? Before I had the CGM, when stuff like that would happen, I would usually just test every 15 minutes to ‘fill in the curve’ in the data to see more precisely what is happening and then maybe make some sort of adjustment! Good luck!!
Wow, thanks for replying everyone. This is my 1st time ever corresponding with a group of people on a message board. Considering the circumstances (diabetes T1) the opportunity to share and get support is all the more important. I’m grateful for the feedback and helpful messages.
I wasn’t expecting the suggestions about a pump, however I have been strongly leaning toward one and so I was pleasantly surprised to read that it might be helpful in getting some relief from these symptoms. One more reason to add for getting one, I suppose.
I do think the physical symptoms I’m having are related to the rate of change of the blood sugar, as you mentioned, Acidrock. Thanks for the tip. TG
I also get those types of ‘low’ symptoms when I drop quickly. I suppose that it could be a ‘real’ low if the blood in my finger capillaries hasn’t quite caught up with what’s going on systemically, but it is an unpleasant feeling all the same…
I’d add too that a pump does not provide immunity from this stuff? I have had a few really severe lows, one ER trip (long story…) on the pump and it will blast you like shots will. I used to party a lot and would definitely call insulin a ‘hard drug’ like heroin or cocaine, in that it can seriously kill you if you aren’t careful with the stuff. All of my doctors are alarmed w/ the frequency that I run into the 60/70 range but I’m sort of used to that but when I’ve gone lower on the pump, it had a really savage vibe to it? I still wouldn’t give it up for anything but if ‘fixing’ that problem is your goal, you should keep an eye on your BG. Oh wait, we have to do that anyway! good luck!
Does it feel like a shot of adrenalin? Like something is shaking inside? Like you feel the blood moving fast?
Or a Murmor? Does it come with a headache sometimes?
What are your BG readings at 30min, 1 hours, 1:30, 2 hours, etc after eating. That should tell you if you have a problem related to your D.
Actually I get these feelings when I have the most control. Tonight before dinner 100, got 3 shots of 3 units each 10 minutes before, 30 after and 80 after. Never moved above 126, and now back down to 108 and steady.
But this feeling of everything shaking inside, adrenalin like feeling, keeps coming back all the time. Recently with headaches.
What you describe is how lows feel to me. But, no I can’t feel my pancreas doing anything:)
Timing is as important as doses. Takes some trial & error to find what’s the best timing to match insulin to meals. If you accidentally hit a blood vessel or muscle, insulin will take effect more quickly.
Yep, me too. But in my case anyway, it’s most likely body’s reaction to good control after periods of not-so-great-control
Welcome to hell! Life as you knew it is gone but hopefully there will be a breakthrough in the not to distant future so you can get back what most people take for granted. As far as the symptoms you are describing it likely has nothing to do with the insulin itself but your glucose level. Everyone gets different symptoms so nothing is cut and dry. Just 20 min ago I was seeing blurry almost double vision which I never have gotten before. I checked my glucose about 45 min post meal and was 78 which is way to low. Had I not caught it I’d be in big trouble. This is all new to you but after a few weeks you should have a better understanding of what you need to do. It sucks royally… ! Just keep praying every night for Pancreate, Smart Insulin, Exsulin, The Islet Sheet…etc.
I have had diabetes now for just over a year and I felt the same exact way as you are describing when I first started insulin…I think I posted on another website almost the exact question, hahaha…I felt like I literally was stoned…but I don’t feel that way anymore…It just stopped…hopefully it will for you too! But it was really annoying and I am happy that doesn’t happen anymore.
Hi Lauren,
How long did it take for it to stop?
Was it accompanied with headaches?
Sometimes, but I attributed the headaches to caffeine withdrawal…It took me about probably 8 months? or so for that feeling to stop. It got so bad sometimes that I had to pull over. Since it stopped though, it hasn’t come back. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions